In addition to choosing the commonwealth’s next governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general, voters will also weigh in on the entire House of Delegates. Currently, Democrats have a 10-seat advantage over Republicans, 55-45.

Voters are on edge and the country is watching, as the Virginia gubernatorial election between former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat, and businessman Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, are said to be in a tight race.

No big announcement or anything, the doors just open and voting is underway in Virginia continuing coverage all day long

— John Domen (@JDDsays)

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

AP Photo/Andrew Harnik

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

AP Photo/Andrew Harnik

AP Photo/Andrew Harnik

Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

AP Photo/Steve Helber

Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images

Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images

Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images

AP Photo/Steve Helber

AP Photo/Steve Helber

AP Photo/Steve Helber

AP Photo/Andrew Harnik

�鶹����/John Domen

�鶹����/John Domen

�鶹����/Neal Augenstein

�鶹����/Kristi King

�鶹����/Kristi King

Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images

Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images

Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images

Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images

Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images

Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images

Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images

Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images

Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images

Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images

Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images

Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images

AP Photo/Alex Brandon

AP Photo/Steve Helber

AP Photo/Alex Brandon

AP Photo/Steve Helber

Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images

Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

(1/44)

Share This Gallery:

• Share This:
• share on email
• print

A Loudoun County voter said, “No matter what happens, there’s going to be a camp of people that’s going to be very upset.”

As soon as the polls close at 7 p.m., local election offices may begin tallying absentee ballots and in-person voting figures because of the new election law.

As of 4 p.m., local election officials began to give updates on turnout. Fairfax County reporting a 49% turnout, Loudoun County reporting 45% turnout and the City of Alexandria reporting 51% turnout.

At an 11 a.m. news conference on Tuesday, State Election Commissioner Christopher Piper said 20% of the electorate had already voted.  And by Monday at 3:30 p.m., 72% of the absentee ballots had been returned.

“We have more than 5.9 million voters registered for this election,” Piper said at the press conference when he gave an update on Virginia’s gubernatorial election that has garnered national attention. “As of this morning, 1,167,659 Virginians have already cast their ballots.”

Piper said 862,927 voters cast early ballots in person, and 306,662 voted by absentee ballot.

What voters are saying

Fairfax County voter Parker Singh said voting Tuesday was the only thing on his mind.

“I want to continue to have some progress on the way in which our state has been working across economic issues, education issues. Those two are front and center at what I’m looking for, and the progress we’ve made with COVID,” Singh said.

Lexi Smith, a mother, said policies relating to COVID-19 led her to the polls.

Voter Kathy Dowd, a retired teacher, said she had to vote today in order to stop “this country’s democracy from being overtaken by crazy people.”

Education was at the forefront for Dowd. She said while the issue is always a political football, this year people are obsessing about it.

“People are obsessing about this whole critical race theory. I wish they would do their due diligence and see what that really means,” she said.

“What it means is let’s really talk about American history. If we’re a melting pot, let’s talk about why. And if we are truly interested in what built this county, let’s not leave out most of the people who built it.”

In Alexandria, voters who already made it to the polls said they had strong reasons for showing up to vote.

“It’s a very important election. I saw this one as pivotal, so I’m here,” Alexandria resident Alberta said.

Chris McMurray said he was voting to protect democracy. “It’s at risk right now. It’s really important to vote.”

One voter, David Osinksi, said it was his civic duty to vote.

“I’m looking for a balance, especially in some of the races where I could pick multiple people. I didn’t want to go on only one issue across the board. I’d prefer a balance in the leadership of both the school board and the city council,” he said.

This year, he’s also experienced more door-knocking than usual, he said.

“I feel like the campaigning is more grassroots than it has been in the past,” he said. “It’s helpful.”

Earl Durand said he feels more informed during this election.

“This year we’ve seen better preparation for voting than I’ve seen in previous years. We’ve received good literature, good insight and we feel we’re far better prepared to vote our intentions, perhaps than in previous years,” Durand said alongside his wife, Linda.

No major polling problems

The elections commissioner reported no major in-person voting issues on Tuesday, so far.

“It’s been pretty quiet,” Piper, the state election commissioner, said before listing a few incidents at polling precincts that appeared to be low-level issues.

In Loudoun County, the government phones were offline, but they were up and running by 11 a.m., when Piper spoke. A precinct in Henrico County opened 10 minutes late due to a medical situation, and there was a reported power outage at Spring Run Elementary School in Chesterfield County.

But Piper said not to worry: Voting machines and electronic poll books have battery backups, so voters can continue to cast ballots. And provisional ballots are also always available to any voter.

A tight race

On Monday night, both gubernatorial candidates, former Gov. Terry McAuliffe and businessman Glenn Youngkin, ended their campaigns in Northern Virginia. The race has been considered neck and neck for weeks now.

Over the course of his campaign, McAuliffe brought in heavyweights to bring out the Democratic base, including President Joe Biden and former president Barack Obama, while former president Donald Trump hosted a brief tele-rally Monday to bring out Republicans. However, Youngkin has been careful not to associate himself too closely with Trump during the campaign.

• More Local Politics and Elections News
• Maryland local elections: Candidates in mayor, council races
• PHOTOS: Election Day 2021 in Virginia

Who’s on the ballot?

The three statewide offices — governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general — are on the ballot, as is the entire 100-member House of Delegates.

Follow the links below for interviews with each candidate �鶹����’s Nick Iannelli.

Governor

• Businessman Glenn Youngkin (Republican)
• Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe��(�ٱ𳾴dz�������)
• Activist Princess Blanding (Liberation Party)

Lieutenant Governor

• Former Delegate Winsome Sears (Republican)
• Del. Hala Ayala (Democrat)

Attorney General

• Del. Jason Miyares (Republican)
• Attorney General Mark Herring (Democrat)

You can find the House of Delegates races, local races and ballot questions for your city or county in �鶹����’s Virginia voter guide.

When do we find out who won?

It shouldn’t take as long as it did last year.

The law in Virginia used to say that all absentee, early and mail-in ballots in a city or county were handled last, and all together. With the surge in absentee voting since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, that meant last year, a boatload of ballots were waiting until the end of the night to be processed and counted.

The General Assembly changed the law this year, so that local registrars start processing (not counting) these ballots at least seven days before Election Day and counting before the polls close.

Different jurisdictions might do things differently, but Arlington, for example, said Monday that they’ll be breaking up their results so that early in-person ballot counts will be released first, right after the polls close, they hope. Then they’ll release the results from the mail ballots that arrived through Sunday, then the in-person Election Day ballots. They’re hoping to have it wrapped up around 9 p.m. Tuesday.

Again, though: Mail ballots can come in, and people can shore up their provisional ballots, up to Friday at 5 p.m. So it may not be a long night, but if a race is really close, it could be a long week.

�鶹����’s John Domen contributed reporting from Alexandria and Kristi King contributed from Fairfax County.

Source

The additional trains means Silver Line riders will get service again to Largo Town Center in Prince George’s County, Maryland, instead of stopping at Federal Center SW in D.C. and the Green Line will run every 20 minutes starting Monday.

• More Transportation News

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) made the announcement Sunday, keeping its pledge to update the riding community on a regular basis.

The addition brings the trains-in-service tally to 39, after Metro removed 60% of its fleet in order to launch an investigation into the 7000-series railcars following an Oct. 12 Blue Line derailment.

“Our rail maintenance crews are working hard to get more trains into service so that customers don’t have to wait as long to get where they need to go,” said Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld. “We are working as quickly and safely as possible to restore more service in the coming weeks and continue to develop plans for inspections to return our 7000-series railcar fleet to service.”

Since removing the 7000-series railcars, 748 of Metro’s newest railcars, service has been limited.

In general, trains have been running every 30 to 40 minutes, with the exception of the Red Line, and the Silver Live offered limited destination service.

In its statement Sunday, Metro said it would continue to work to bring older model trains, including the 2000, 3000 and 6000-series trains, out of storage and return them to service.

Beginning Monday, Nov. 1, service is expected to operate under the following schedule:

• Red Line trains will run 15-20 minutes
• Blue Line and Orange Line trains will run every 30 to 40 minutes
• Silver Line trains will run every 30 to 40 minutes with full service to Largo Town Center
• Green Line trains will run every 20 minutes
• Yellow Line trains will run every 30 to 40 minutes

Metro officials said the schedule will last at least until Nov. 15.

Metro also restored power to the Shady Grove Yard on Friday and began inspecting railcars to prepare them for service, the agency said.

“The yard has been cut off due to the Rockville Canopy Replacement project and getting those railcars out will require additional work to remove construction staging and equipment.”

Source

Sally Squires, who writes the , said physical activity decreased about 60% during the pandemic because of social distancing, and sedentary living increased by about 42%.

It means “we really have to make a change,” said Squires, who offered some advice on building back muscle you may have lost.

One of the first myths to dispel, she said, is that muscle mass is mostly important to older people. It isn’t.

“It’s important for everyone,” she said. “I think this is something that a lot of people don’t understand.”

By not maintaining muscle mass, Squires said, a person will set themselves up for a whole host of illnesses, including premature heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, cognitive decline and depression.

Squires said dedicating about 15 minutes a day, three days a week to rebuilding lost muscle will do it. And she said a person’s routine doesn’t have to be based around lifting barbells in a gym.

Muscle can be built in a variety of ways. Even if you don’t have weights, for instance, try using cans of food, which weigh about one pound each.

“You want to start at a level that you can do, but then gradually work up,” Squires said. “If you’re at 5 pounds right now, maybe in a few weeks you can be at 10 pounds and then 15. You just gradually increase.”

And if you don’t want to use weights, you can try resistance bands. “You just want to do things that are going to work your core, your muscles in your legs and your arms,” she said.

And start your routine in a place that is comfortable, Squires suggested.

“You’re doing repetitions of a few minutes at a time. It actually doesn’t take that long. You can work your upper body in 15 minutes one day, and the next day your lower body.”

While a lot of people believe large quantities of protein, or protein supplements, are required to gain muscle mass, Squires said most Americans have enough protein in their daily diets to do the trick.

“We know that protein is important, so if you’ve done a workout at a gym of any kind, it’s a good time to have a little bit of protein because protein does help build muscle. The good news is that most Americans get plenty of protein, so you don’t have to reach for a pro bar or supplement.”

She suggested milk, nuts, a piece of cheese or some jerky.

And supplements such as Creatine and L’carnitine are not necessary to build muscle, Squires said: “Most people don’t need them.”

Most importantly, Squires said to keep at it and stick with it.

Source

Forty-five-year-old Brian Jeffrey Raymond pleaded guilty in July to two counts of sexual abuse in which women were incapable of giving consent, and one count of transporting obscene material, after FBI and State Department recovered images from his electronic devices showing two dozen women, nude and unconscious taken between 2006 and 2020.

Raymond admitted to recording or photographed the unconscious women, and to touching their breasts, buttocks and, or genitalia without consent. Many of the victims met Raymond through various dating apps, FBI officials said Tuesday in a statement.

“Almost all of the women in the photos and videos experienced memory loss during their time with Raymond and had no knowledge of the photographs, videos, or any physical contact.,” the FBI said in a news release. “Some women depicted in the recovered photographs and videos remain unidentified.”

Raymond, who speaks Spanish and Mandarin Chinese, is described as a frequent traveler who has lived in a number of countries, including Mexico and Peru, and has also resided in the D.C. and San Diego areas.

Investigators with the FBI and the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service began looking into Raymond after a nude woman was seen calling for help from the balcony of his residence in Mexico City, where he lived while working at the U.S. Embassy from Aug. 2018 to May 2020.

The FBI is asking anyone who believes they have been a victim of Raymond or has information about him to contact the agency by , emailing ReportingBJR@fbi.gov or calling 1-800-CALL-FBI.

Raymond is scheduled to be sentenced in the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 7, 2022, following a pre-sentencing evidentiary hearing beginning Jan. 31, 2022.

Source

A Montgomery County, Maryland, man recovered his own stolen vehicle last Thursday after it was taken from his home driveway in the early morning hours. He said he used a car app to track his wife’s 2019 Volvo to Southeast D.C.

Shane Neff, a Darnestown resident, said when he went outside Thursday morning to take the car into the shop for a scheduled appointment to get new tires, the car was gone.

“It’s a weird feeling when you wake up and it’s not there,” Neff said. “It’s confusing.”

He said he asked his wife if she got dropped off at home the night before, or parked the car somewhere else. When she said no, he knew it had to be stolen. The couple thought the car was locked, but they didn’t know for sure.

Neff called his neighbor, a Montgomery County Police detective, and also filed a formal complaint online.

The off-duty detective asked Neff if his car had a tracking app. To Neff’s surprise, it did, and he was able to track the car to the streets of D.C.

Neff said he found his car on 30th Street in Southeast, near Minnesota Avenue.

The front license plate was missing. He also saw footprints in the back seat and passenger areas of the car, so he assumed at least three people jacked his car the night before.

“We looked to make sure no one was standing around the car — since there wasn’t I just hopped in, started it and left,” said Neff, a former federal probation officer. “I did this for a living. I’ve been in unfamiliar neighborhoods before.”

There wasn’t much damage to the car, Neff said, just a scratch on the side. “Not that bad.”

When asked what the car smelled like, Neff said it was different.

“It didn’t have the familiar smell of my wife’s car, but it didn’t smell like weed.”

The other observation was that Neff found the car unlocked.

“The criminals left it unlocked. What the hell is wrong with them?”

When he got back home, he reached out to his neighbor across the street to warn him about the theft the night before.

His neighbor said his house was hit too, but thankfully everything was accounted for. His neighbor also said he had a security camera with footage of the theft.

In the footage, Neff could see people in the dark of night, using flashlights and gloves to check car doors in his neighbor’s driveway.

Neff said his neighbors have a beagle that barks all the time, but in this case, the dog didn’t make a sound.

“I don’t know if the word’s out in some of the other jurisdictions, that it’s easier to steal a car in this county,” Neff said.

Montgomery County Police Department’s auto theft unit was disbanded earlier this year because of FY 2021 budget cuts.

Montgomery County police did not return a request for comment by the publication of this story.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to remove a reference to the number of auto thefts in the county.

Source

Montgomery County Council Vice President Gabe Albornoz said he and his co-sponsor, County Council member Nancy Navarro, hope the program will serve as a recruitment tool for employers while helping families.

• Montgomery Co. lawmakers propose property tax credits for first responders
• More Montgomery County Council News
• More Montgomery County News

The measure being introduced Tuesday “provides that local businesses with less than 50 employees would be eligible to receive grants of up to 50 percent of the annual amount of childcare contributions paid by the local businesses to employees who earn less than $125,000,” according to a news release from Albornoz.

The bill was initially introduced two years ago, before the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Women have been significantly, disproportionately impacted from workforce development and are leaving the workforce in droves, in large part because of child care challenges in their communities — which were challenged even prior to the pandemic,” Albornoz said.

“This is a matching grant program that we hope will provide some support for businesses to provide some relief for their employees, but also as a recruitment tool that [will] have economic benefits to the county, as well as social benefits to the families,” he said.

Albornoz said that investing in business while expanding access to child care are “key to foster economic development, alleviate stress for working families and ensure business success across our county and region.”

Other co-sponsors of Bill 38-21 are Montgomery County Council President Tom Hucker and council members Sidney Katz, Andrew Friedson and Hans Riemer.

If the bill passes, it will be run out of the county’s Economic Development Fund.

�鶹����’s Colleen Kelleher contributed to this story.

Source

County officials admit they are having problems retaining and recruiting first responders, a trend they say is playing out on the national level, and they hope the tax credits can help address the issue.

• Montgomery Co. to consider grants for businesses that subsidize child care
• More Montgomery County Council News
• More Montgomery County News

“We’ve seen skyrocketing overtime and training costs due to our job vacancies and high attrition rates,” Montgomery County Council President Tom Hucker said Monday during a weekly news briefing.

“This legislation sends an important signal that our first responders are valued and that we want to achieve the public safety benefits that accrue to a neighborhood when you have first responders living in your community and not being forced by our high housing prices to live outside the county,” he said.

Police, career firefighters and emergency communication center operators will be eligible for the tax credit should the legislation pass.

Hucker said that if the council can do something to offset the high costs of housing in the county, everyone will benefit.

“We want our first responders —  as many as possible — who choose to live in Montgomery County going to our houses of worship, joining our neighborhood associations, supporting our local small businesses and sending their kids to our schools,” Hucker said.

Council Vice President Gabe Albornoz said the state passed legislation allowing the benefit, which Howard County has already taken advantage of.

“Significant steps need to be taken to address some of those recruitment and retention issues,” Albornoz said. “It is undeniably the best practice to have our first responders living in the communities that they serve. We view this as a win-win all the way around.”

A public hearing is scheduled for Nov. 9.

Source

The state police haven’t released the woman’s name yet, as they’re still notifying her next of kin.

Police said the woman was driving westbound on Route 267, the Dulles Greenway Toll Road, and veered off the road near the Exit 6 ramp for Ashburn Village Boulevard at about 1:20 a.m. Sunday, according to security camera footage.

The car then struck “an impact attenuator,” continued through the grass along a steep embankment, and went through thick landscaping before striking a Washington Metro Power building.

The car wasn’t noticed until about 8 a.m., police said, because it was concealed from the road by the landscaping.

The police are still investigating.

Below is a map of the area where the crash happened:

Source

The newly installed “dynamic” signs and closed-circuit televisions cameras (CCTV) were added to roadway areas along U.S. Route 50, the Loudoun County Parkway and Virginia Route 7, Loudoun County .

• More Loudoun County News
• More Virginia News
• Transportation News

“These signs will enable drivers to be better informed and make safer and more coordinated commuting decisions,” county officials said.

The new locations include the following:

• Route 50 east of Tall Cedar Parkway;
• Route 50 east of Loudoun County Parkway;
• Route 50 east of Stone Spring Boulevard;
• Loudoun County Parkway north of Route 50;
• Route 7 Bypass west of Route 15.

Each location has two large messaging signs facing both directions of traffic and a CCTV camera mounted on a pole. The equipment is the median of the roadway.

“By tying into the CCTV cameras, VDOT’s Transportation Operations Center can stay updated on incidents on the roads and share accurate information with the public, traffic reporters and law enforcement and fire-rescue agencies,” officials said.

The message signs and cameras will be integrated into so users can get the most updated information on roadway incidents, which is available through the VDOT website, by telephone or a smartphone app.

Source

Leesburg representative Beth Barts, a first-term board member who has been embroiled in controversy in recent months, announced her resignation Friday on social media.

Barts drew heat for being a member in the Facebook group “Anti-Racist Parents of Loudoun County,” where who opposed the school district’s racial equity efforts.

“Please accept this letter as my formal resignation from the Loudoun County School Board effective November 2, 2021,” read a statement on Barts’ Facebook page. “This was not an easy decision or a decision made in haste. After much thought and careful consideration, it is the right decision for me and my family.”

Loudoun County Public Schools announcing the resignation.

A Loudoun County Circuit Court judge ruled earlier this month that a recall petition against Barts brought by a , could advance to trial, .

The judge also ruled in favor of the group’s request to allow a special prosecutor in the suit, stating that Commonwealth’s Attorney Buta Biberaj, who normally represents petitioners, had a “disqualifying conflict of interest,” The Washington Post article stated.

• Loudoun Co. superintendent: Sexual assault procedures ‘insufficient’

Within 15 days of Barts’ resignation, the school board will begin the process to fill the seat in the Leesburg District.

“The School Board will announce its process for filling the Leesburg seat at its October 26 meeting and anticipates filling this position at its December 14 meeting,” the LCPS statement said.

A public hearing will be held by the school board at least seven days prior to the appointment to interview applicants for the vacant school seat and listen to resident testimony.

The School Board is required to appoint a qualified voter of the Leesburg school district to fill the seat within 45 days of the vacancy. A deadline to submit applications for the position will be set by the board in the near future.

“I want to thank Board Member Barts for her service to the Leesburg District,” said School Board Chair Brenda L. Sheridan.

Source

Just Puppies retail pet stores in Rockville and Towson, along with the stores’ owner, Mitchell Thomson, were charged in June with violating two state laws – the No More Puppy-Mills Act and the Consumer Protection Act — in their practice of selling puppies.

“The settlement prevents Just Puppies from selling dogs in Maryland, provides restitution to Maryland consumers who purchased puppies that had a congenital disorder or hereditary condition or illness at the time of purchase, and imposes civil penalties,” according to a statement Friday from the office of Attorney General Brian Frosh.

The No More Puppy-Mills Act bans the sale of dogs and cats by retail pet stores, in an effort to curb the sourcing of animals from irresponsible breeders.

Frosh’s office contends that the stores misled consumers about their relationships with breeders and continued to sell puppies after the City of Rockville revoked the store’s pet shop license.

“This settlement resolves allegations that Just Puppies and its owner violated laws intended to protect animals from irresponsible breeding and mistreatment,” Frosh said in the statement. “Consumers who were misled by Just Puppies and purchased sick dogs will get their money back or receive compensation to help pay for their pet’s care.”

As part of the settlement, Just Puppies has agreed to refund payments to customers who purchased dogs with certain conditions since Jan. 1, 2020 — the day the No More Puppy-Mills Act went into effect — or pay for treatment of certain conditions.

The settlement also requires Just Puppies to pay a civil penalty of up to $500,000, but the fine could be reduced to $100,000 if the company complies with the remedies in the agreement.

Consumers who are eligible for refunds will be contacted by the Attorney General’s Office. Consumers can also call the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at 410-576-6569 with questions.

Source

Montgomery County Public Schools started centralized live instruction for elementary school students quarantined due to COVID-19 on Friday, Oct. 1.

• More Montgomery County News
• More Education News

About 45% of the county’s elementary schools have decided to take part in the program, according to the school system.

“This means that instead of each individual school having to assign staff members to teach on a daily basis for large portions of the day, schools are taking turns, offering staff to teach students from across all participating schools,” said Sarah Sirgo, the school system’s director of learning, achievement and administration.

“On a given day, this means that students in individual quarantine log on to a central Zoom link that we provide, and they’re taught by one of the many talented staff among our participating schools,” she said.

The move is aimed at easing pressure on teachers amid a staffing shortage.

In addition, at Tuesday’s Montgomery County Board of Education meeting, board members voted unanimously to push back the deadline for MCPS employees to get required COVID-19 vaccinations.

Oct. 15 is the new deadline for staffers to get their first shot, and Nov. 15 is the deadline for employees to be fully vaccinated.

The move came in response to a number of MCPS employees not yet providing proof of vaccination.

‘Stretched beyond human capacity’

Presidents from three unions representing county education workers joined forces at the board meeting Tuesday to urge education officials to address a “significantly understaffed” school system that has been turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Eighteen months into the health crisis, educators have been “stretched beyond human capacity,” said Christine Handy, president of the Montgomery County Association of Administrators and Principals.

“Administrators are forced to become public health workers and contact tracers. All of this work is piled on top of our traditional duties and responsibilities,” Handy said.

“We are going above and beyond our part to support the evolving needs of our students and the school system. Our members are human beings, not robots without limits,” she said.

Jennifer Martin, president of the Montgomery County Education Association, called the situation a crisis. Besides the toll it is taking on educators, student literacy rates are dropping to alarming levels.

Martin said literacy readiness dropped 35% for second graders from the 2018-2019 school year to the 2020—2021 school year. Math readiness for fifth graders was down 25%, literacy for Black second graders was down 38% and Hispanic second graders suffered a 46% drop.

“Our students have suffered as a result of this pandemic,” she said. “We must provide individual support to help students catch up following COVID-19, but many permanent positions are still vacant and substitute teachers are scarce.”

Martin told board members teachers must be freed from lunch, recess and late bus duties.
“We need substitutes for classroom coverage when teachers become ill or are forced to quarantine,” she said.

Learning recovery is a priority for education workers, Martin said, but not even support staff have the resources they need to get the job done.

“Today, we three presidents choose to speak with one voice to bring attention to this crisis. Our membership has bent over backward for over a year and a half, we are about to break,” SEIU Local 500 President Pia Morrison said.

“Educators need to focus on helping our students heal from the trauma of the last two years, both emotionally and academically. We must focus on mitigating learning gaps caused by the pandemic.”

Source

Virginia leaves in the Shenandoah National Park should peak between mid-October and the first week of November, park spokeswoman Alyssa Fox said.

“The foliage will not be the same in all areas of the park, but that’s OK, you have a chance to capture it in different areas,” Fox said. “Because the park is about 100 miles long and varies in elevation, the colors will change at different times.”

• More Virginia News
• More Maryland News

Fox said Skyline Drive is one of the most well-known ways in Shenandoah National Park for viewing the change in colors.

“You get several different viewpoints, especially because we have more than 70 overlooks where you can stop and get some leg stretches in,” she said. “You can see so much of the foliage in the park outside of the park.”

For hiking, Fox recommended Hawksbill Summit, the tallest point in the park, or Stony Man trail. Any vista is ideal for viewing. She said getting to the park during the week, as opposed to the weekends, will be less busy and make for a more enjoyable time.

As far as the best time of day to view foliage, Fox suggests finding a good view during the “,” a brief period immediately after dawn or just before dusk where the sun’s low angle makes colors pop and gives the landscape a warmer glow.

Fox said Virginia’s Shenandoah is only about 10% into the fall foliage season, in contrast to Maryland — where she expects colors to peak over the last week of October.

MARYLAND

“Western Maryland is arguably the best place to view fall foliage, with its dense forests and mountain ranges,” said spokeswoman Megan McGinn-Meals.

“There has been a slow start to the fall foliage season, but within the last few days, the color has really begun to pop,” McGinn-Meals said.

She said Maryland is often called “America in Miniature” due to its diversity in landscapes and people.

“The first glimpse of color began at the higher elevations in Western Maryland,” in early September, McGinn-Meals said.

The lower elevation levels of the state and its eastern region will experience the fall peak last.
The Natural Resources Department said the most popular parks are Patapsco Valley in Ellicott City, Gunpowder Falls in Middle River, Sandy Point outside Annapolis and Assateague near Ocean City.

And the time to see “the best color” is on cool, clear days when humidity is low. Many factors influence the intensity and duration of fall color including temperature, light and water supply.

“Low temperatures above freezing favor bright reds in maples, while early frost may weaken color. Rainy and/or overcast days interspersed with the sun tend to increase color intensity. Extended periods of dry weather typically lead to less vibrant foliage seasons,” McGinn-Meals said.

“Warm, sunny dry days and cool crisp nights jump-start the transition and deepen the colors. Stable weather patterns allow the leaves to hold longer. Warm, wet fall weather seems to equal green leaves and less color change.”

Like Fox, Maryland park officials also recommend trying to catch fall foliage on the weekends.

“If you want to avoid crowds, you’re going to avoid weekends. Weekdays would be preferable. Some of our parks, particularly the most popular, fill at capacity on the weekends,” McGinn-Meals said.

And the best way to see fall foliage?

“Get into the forest understory,” McGinn-Meals said. “That can be accomplished through traveling the back roads in Western Maryland.”

Park officials recommend going online before heading out for a particular park.

Every Thursday, Shenandoah National Park features a where park rangers talk about the current conditions, and the same day the Maryland Department of Natural Resources updates its newsletter, which shows the fall foliage is.

Source

During a weekly briefing, officials also said the county has the lowest number of new daily cases across state health metrics.

But in other metrics, they remain concerned about racial disparities.

Despite an increase in vaccination rates among racial minority groups, health officials said they still see a disproportionate number of Black and Hispanic residents with higher rates of new cases and hospitalizations.

New data also reinforced a consistent finding that fully vaccinated people are far less likely to be hospitalized.

Currently, 89% of eligible county residents are fully vaccinated, and 98.5% have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose. But 70% of hospitalizations are those who are unvaccinated or have received only one dose.

Over the last week, Montgomery County reported 851 new COVID-19 cases, and an overall average of 11 cases per day per 100,000 people.

“They’re still the lowest in the state,” said Sean O’Donnell, the county’s health and human services public health emergency preparedness manager.

The county’s new test-positivity rate over a seven-day average is 1.97%.

The case-transmission rate, health officials said, is 76.3 per 100,000 over the past seven days, which they want to see drop.

When the transmission rate falls below 50, the indoor mask requirement will no longer be required.

“It has sort of plateaued, coming down a little from a few weeks ago,” O’Donnell said.

County officials are encouraging residents to bring their vaccine card or health records with them when they go to get a booster shot, which is currently only available for people who received the Pfizer vaccine.

“The vaccines are not interchangeable,” O’Donnell said.

Vaccines are available throughout the county at nearly every pharmacy. Residents can also go to the or the to find available doses by brand.

RideOn fares

In other news, county officials said RideOn bus fares will remain free through Jan. 1, after an extension was approved last week.

A fare equity study the council requested from County Executive Marc Elrich recommended reduced fares, said Montgomery County Council President Tom Hucker.

“My colleagues decided to keep fares free,” he said.

Ridership inequities, Hucker said, continue in the county: Two-thirds of customers don’t have their own vehicles, and the average median household income is $35,000.

Eviction moratorium

Hucker, who is considering a run against Elrich in 2022, also praised activists with the immigrants’ rights group CASA of Maryland for rallying Sunday and calling on Gov. Larry Hogan to step up and extend the eviction moratorium during the pandemic.

“Unfortunately, we can’t do that at the county level. We have to count on the governor to speak up for them,” Hucker said.

On Tuesday, the council will receive a briefing on COVID-19 rental assistance and eviction-prevention programs. Updates on the county’s rent relief program expenditures, eviction trends and court procedures will be covered. They will also vote on Bill 3021, which addresses extending the limitations against rent increases and late fees.

New arrivals to the county

a county-run service center for families that have just arrived in the U.S., was praised by Council Vice President Gabe Albornoz during Monday’s briefing.

The center provides school registration to Montgomery County Public Schools, materials and other services.

“This is an important transition for families as they come to our country,” he said. “It’s not just a moral obligation for us to be able to provide them with the support that they need, but it helps address our social safety net, it helps with economic development, and it helps in a variety of different ways.”

Albornoz said he looks forward to expanding services at the site. Those interested in registering with the county’s schools through the Rocking Horse facility can call 240-740-4430.

School Resource Officers

The county is also transitioning away from having school resource officers in schools. Albornoz said last week local reporting highlighted some of the violence occurring in middle schools, and he assured residents that the council hears their concerns.

“The health and wellness and safety of our children and youth — as well as the faculty and staff within our schools — is our highest possible priority,” he said, adding that the county will keep providing safety and security on “numerous different levels.”

Beefing up the school system’s social services and mental health services is key to the success of the transition, Albornoz said.

“Frankly, this is not an either-or,” he said. “We need to provide strong safety and security as well as strong mental health services and behavioral health services for our children and youth.”

Source

Overall, 771 bills were passed this year in the . A list provided by the shows some of the most “popular” topics this legislative calendar.

• More Maryland General Assembly News

Business

: Establishes a mentoring program within large and established minority businesses for startup and small minority businesses. It studies a one-on-one assistance program for minority businesses to submit bids and proposals for procurement contracts.

Consumer protection

: Lets financially exploited older or susceptible people file a civil complaint against their exploiter, in addition to the current criminal penalties. It survives the death of the individual.

: Prohibits a nonfamily guardian of a minor or disabled person from distributing or disbursing property without court authorization. It also matches the penalty for the guardian to that of a trustee.

: Establishes a whistleblower reward program within the Office of the Comptroller.

Crime

: Authorizes courts to sentence a minor convicted as an adult to less prison time than a convicted adult would receive. Courts are also prohibited from imposing a life sentence without the possibility of parole or release. Minors are guaranteed the right to solicit the court to reduce their sentence.

Employment

: Extends the time to file employment discrimination complaints with the Commission on Civil Rights from six months to 300 days.

: Requires essential employers during a declared state of emergency to provide essential employees safe working conditions, including available safety equipment and free disease testing, a right to refuse to perform an assigned task; to provide federal or state-funded public health emergency leave and to report test results to the state Department of Health.

: Requires employers with 15 or more employees to allow workers to use any earned pay leave for bereavement leave for an immediate family member.

Environment

: Expands restrictions on intentionally releasing balloons into the atmosphere. The following groups are prohibited from intentionally releasing a balloon into the atmosphere: a person 13 or older, a corporation, a partnership, an association, a nonprofit agency, the state, or any unit of a political subdivision. It also requires certain local governments with enforcement authority to report the violation.

: Requires the Power Plant Research Program to include an evaluation of
the impact of electric power plants on climate change as part of its ongoing research.

: Requires members of the Commission on Environmental Justice and Sustainable Communities board to reflect the state’s facial, gender, ethnic and geographic diversity. It also requires the commission to meet at least six times per year and hold at least four community listening sessions.

Guns

: Requires people to complete sales, rentals or transfers of rifles and shotguns through a licensed dealer. The dealer must also conduct background checks through the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check Systems.

Police reform

: Allows certain people to review disciplinary records of law enforcement agents for misconduct, internal affairs investigations, hearings and disciplinary decisions for review under the Maryland Public Information Act. It also requires “no-knock” search warrants to first be approved in writing by a police supervisor and the State’s Attorney Office, and executed only between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m., absent critical circumstances.

: Requires law enforcement to report any “potential police-involved death” of a civilian to a new independent investigative unit in the Maryland Attorney General’s Office.

Other

: Allows wills, powers of attorney and advance directives to be authorized electronically and witnessed remotely.

: Establishes the Commission on LGBTQ Affairs in the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives.

Source